In a shocking development, the dating safety app Tea Dating Advice, designed to help women conduct background checks on men, has fallen victim to hackers. This breach has exposed the images and communications of over 72,000 users, including sensitive photos meant for verification. The app, which boasts around 1.6 million members, allows users to anonymously report "red flag" behaviors and verify identities, but it has faced criticism for its controversial practices regarding sharing information about men.
The unauthorized access reportedly impacts users who joined before February 2024, but the company assures that it is actively collaborating with cybersecurity experts to safeguard its community. Tea has also stated that the breached images cannot be linked to any posts within the app, as their features block screenshots to prevent external sharing.
Moreover, the breach extends to an additional 59,000 images taken from two years ago, comprising posts, comments, and direct messages. This incident is particularly concerning as it comes amid ongoing discussions about privacy and defamation in dating scenarios—issues that have led some users to legal actions over purported violations of privacy linked to these safety-focused platforms.
Established in November 2022, Tea Dating Advice was created by Sean Cook, who aimed to protect women from online dating dangers he observed through his mother’s experiences. While many applaud the app's intent to enhance women's safety, critics argue it might also jeopardize men's privacy rights. The conversation about balancing online safety and personal privacy continues as dating apps evolve to meet user safety needs.
